As if he was struck by lightning, he became rooted to the marbled floor, not being able to tear his gaze away from the very face which had been a part of his daydreams as well as his nightmares.
A tall and dainty figure, wrapped in a wine colored gown, continued to walk inside with slow yet steady steps. Her eyes wandered around the room as if they were searching for a certain someone among the sea of faces. Her delicate eyebrows ended up being taught in a knot as she failed to find that familiar face. During the mindless stroll of her eyes, her gaze ended up landing on the man who was still rooted to the floor in his earlier spot.The corner of her lips curled up into a smirk as the creases from her forehead vanished into thin air. With the same pace, she walked up to him, stopping at a distance of a few feet away from him. Though it wasn't the person she was actually looking forward to meeting tonight, she still remembered her deal with Carston. In exchange of the address of her younger sister, he had asked her to make an appearance at this banquet and show her dolled up pretty self to his dear son. But who knew that the old dying man was actually smart enough to make her meet her sister and his son at the same place and time. It only came to her knowledge when the old man bothered to tell her on their way to the banquet.'He's too smart for his age.' She thought to herself and smirked. No wonder people were still cautious around him. "Goodness gracious! Who do we have here?" She couldn't control herself from being too rude to the man standing before her, for he was the cause of her troubled adolescence. If it wasn't for him, she would have stayed back in Berlin and pursue her dream career instead of being forced into the abyss of the world's bitter reality, that too by her own blood."Y-You. What are you doing here?" Taylor, who seemed lost up till now, finally spoke up in an enraged tone as he tried his best not to snap at the woman."Why can't I be here?" In her composed yet mocking tone. The lady spoke up. Her etiquettes paired with the way she carried herself, spoke volumes about her background."Where were you all this time?" He asked her with an aggrieved tone, the corners of his eyes turning redder with every second which passed by as he tried his best not to lash out on her before all these high profile people. Not because he was worried about her image, but his own. He didn't want to be labeled as a man who raised his tone over a woman who looked so meek and submissive. But only he was the only person in the entire room who knew that it was all merely an act of hers. She was no meek woman."Somewhere far from here, and safe from a monster like you." She smirked. "You don't expect me to tell you the exact location now, do you?""I couldn't care any less as to where you live. What I want to know is why you are back?" He gritted through his teeth. "I wasted most of my youth looking for you crazily. I searched highs and lows for you. Where were you all that time? And now that I am finally okay with your absence, why are you back?" He glared at her."Don't think so highly of yourself. I am actually here to see someone else. The moment my eyes are able to locate the person, I will leave." She replied to him, still keeping a hold of her poised self. "If you are done with being a thorn in my path, then will you please move?" She asked him as her eyes trailed to the host of the event, who was busy greeting some guests."Do you know her?" Following her line of sight, Taylor questioned her. He wondered how she knew Stella."Duh! Who do you think sent me an invitation if not for the host herself?" She stated as a matter of fact, rolling her eyes at his stupidity. There was no way she was going to bring up the actual reason for her visit to Berlin before the man. She couldn't put her little sister's life in jeopardy. Not after she was finally getting the chance to meet her in person after so long. "If you are done wasting my time, please move to the side." She raised an eyebrow at him and added in a not so polite manner, not wanting to go around him as it would take her two or three extra steps. Even if he was the last person on this planet, she wouldn't waste the millionth part of her energy over him.Given no choice, Taylor quietly stepped aside to clear her way. As someone who once knew the woman like the back of his hand, her stubbornness was nothing new to him. He just quietly stood by the side as he saw her make her way towards Stella with a smug resting on her face. He continued to gaze at her retreating figure as memories from his past came rushing to his mind, the very memories he had spent years trying to forget.-----------*FLASHBACK*A boy, who seemed to be merely eleven years old, was standing by the bank of a river on his own. He had his black orbs fixed on the shimmering clear water as he watched the fishes moving around, immersed in their own little world. His unwavering attention was disturbed by a loud shriek of a girl which was followed by a splashing sound. With a troubled expression, he shifted his attention in the direction from where the sounds were coming from, only to be greeted by the sight of someone struggling to stay afloat.******Join on discord: https://discord.gg/jgP7DmsIf you are reading the story on some other site besides W e b n o v e l. com, then the content is stolen. [https://dynamic.w e b n o v e /book/14227206905696705?utm_source=writerShare&utm_campaign=430